X 



WATER AND THET OCEAN 



whereas, in the fame focus, any metal would inftantaneouily melt, vi- 

 trify and evaporate; nor can we omit the well known circumfLance, 

 that the fun moves eight days longer in the Northern, than in the 



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Southern figns of the zodiac. This makes the winter eight days long- 

 er, and their fummers eight days fliorter; which all together muil 

 cool the Southern hemifphere, by a 2241 or very near by a 23d part 



s 



more than the ard:ic regions^ 



Cuncfa gelu, canaque ceternum grandine teSia 



At que cevi glaciem cohlbent, riget ardua mantis 



Mtherii fades, fur gentique obvia Phcebo, 

 Duratas nefcit flammis mollire fruinas. 



SiLius Italicus lib. in. v. 480,. 



roi 



ICE 



I might have been lefs prolix in regard to the obfervations on the 



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ice, its formation and caufes of the cold, had I not thought, that by 

 GoUeding here as it were every material circumftance, relative to the 

 ice in the Southern hemifphere, into one chapter, and examining 



what has been faid on both fides of the queftion, fome future navi- 

 gators might be better enabled to judge, how far the obferved fads 

 Gorrefpond with the affigned caufes. If they fhould find reafons to 

 be of a contrary opinion, they will certainly be induced to 



the fads, upon which th 



to publifli 



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opinion was founded; they will point 

 my miftakes, and fliew the caufes of my error y in fliort they 



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will. 



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